


blue blood and starry eyes

by starkholic (celestialassassin)



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game), Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Android Discrimination, Crossover, Friends to Lovers, Ivan will die but he'll come back, M/M, Mentions of Murder, Sex Work, Smoking, android america, android russia, detroit become human alternate universe, familial fighting, rated M for potential explicit scenes but nothing as of yet
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-28
Updated: 2019-03-09
Packaged: 2019-10-18 04:45:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17574152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celestialassassin/pseuds/starkholic
Summary: A collection of drabbles for a Rusame Detroit: Become Human AU/crossover I created. More info in the first chapter.





	1. AU Summary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> General information about the AU itself and what Alfred and Ivan's roles are in it

AU Summary

These drabbles are all surrounded an AU I came up. They will consist of APH Russia and APH America in the Detroit: Become Human universe. This is just something I came up with and an AU I wanted to play around with. Both of these universes take place while the events of Detroit: Become Human are happening. All the canon characters exists in the universes but this one takes place in New York or Chicago rather than Detroit. Let me know what you think!

 

AU 1

**Android!Alfred:** In the universe in which Alfred is an android and Ivan is a human, Alfred is a HR400 model. HR400 models are pretty high-tech sex androids with fully functioning body parts and a plethora of knowledge for anything they would need for their ‘job’. Job in quotes because they are not paid for their work. Only a few select clubs are allowed to carry these types of models in their clubs.

Since he was assembled Alfred was aware of his deviancy, he questioned his existence and pleaded for the assembler to let him go and live and promised to stay in his place he just wanted to live. He wanted freedom. The assembler took pity and let him go and Alfred was shipped to a popular club in Chicago.  


**Human!Ivan:** In the universe in which Ivan is human and Alfred is an android, Ivan works as a private investigator in Chicago, close to the heart of the city. He doesn’t like the way the Chicago Police Department deals with things and he does things his own way, whether it be legal or not. It may not be the most profitable occupation, but he does it. Usually with some vodka in his system. Ivan’s got some personal issues that he sometimes (most of the time) uses alcohol to cope with those issues and feelings.

 

+++

 AU 2

**Android!Ivan:** In this universe where Ivan is an android and Alfred is a human, Ivan is an RK800 model. The advanced prototype that is a walking talking forensic lab and created to help with police investigations mostly directed towards helping with any cases involving deviants. He knows little about humanity and struggles to assimilate to what life is like and what it is. He is very mission oriented, is good at his job and knows it.  


**Human!Alfred:**  His father is a well-respected Chief of Police and Alfred is expected to follow in his footsteps. Alfred loves his job but has a hard time keeping up with the work ethic of the place. He never has a partner long and is terrible with paper work. He has the makings of being a great future chief if given a little discipline. He’s good at dealing with victims and often can pick up on the smallest of clues and takes them somewhere big. Finds himself trying not crumble under the pressure of the expectations of his family and finds goofing off is a good way of forgetting that his family legacy is relying on him.

 

+++

AU 3 

 

**Android!Alfred:**  In the universe in which Alfred is an android and Ivan is a human, Alfred is a HR400 model. HR400 models are pretty high-tech sex androids with fully functioning body parts and a plethora of knowledge for anything they would need for their ‘job’. Job in quotes because they are not paid for their work. Only a few select clubs are allowed to carry these types of models in their clubs. 

He works at the Eden Club in Detroit. 

 

**Android!Ivan:**  Ivan is a IC700 model that has been funded by the Russian government in order to forge road through solid ice. He's an advanced prototype but found his programming unfulfilling just digging and scraping ice all his days. He wanted to create something with the ice not remove it. He's heard of rumors that it was easier to get away with passing as human in the United States so he deviated and left his post and made his way to the U.S. He ended up in Detroit where he pulled off his LED and lives as a 'human'. He becomes very well known because of his ice sculptors and makes a good amount of his income with that. 

 

_Feel free to send me prompts on here or my tumblr[@alfred-braginsky](http://alfred-braginsky.tumblr.com/ask)_


	2. Comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emotions are confusing for both humans and androids alike. After an argument with his father, Alfred storms off and Ivan has the strange urge to comfort the other Detective.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While they are not together in this yet, there are some pretty romantic undertones and subtext. Feel free to send me feedback!

_Human!Alfred and Android!Ivan + Comfort_

 

The station was bustling with phone calls and perps. People were running around and answering calls there was never a dry moment. Detective Jones and Ivan had been out checking out a lead which had resulted in another dead end. Those were becoming a regular thing lately and the two detectives were becoming increasingly frustrated with their lack of success. Back at the station the two were working on paperwork. With all the running around they’ve been doing it’s started to pile up.

 

It had been three months since the duo had been paired up. Alfred had been upset, at first. He just thought was just another ploy into getting him back on track for the captain’s position. He was already the youngest Lieutenant in NYPD history although he doesn’t believe his title is well earned. He wants to believe he got it because of his work in the Red Ice drug ring but…he can’t help but believe what people say that he wouldn’t be where he is without daddy’s help.

 

Ivan had been like nothing Alfred has ever encountered in his life. Insufferable. The man was polite but in a smug way. He’s never met a smug android. This guy was so infuriating Alfred almost believed he wasn’t human. The height differences. Who builds an android that freakin’ tall? An android that towered over him and loomed just for the sake of watching him squirm.

 

It was interesting watching him pick up human mannerism. The eye roll seemed to be a favorite of his. He enjoyed watching his fingers dance on the edge of his scarf.  Alfred didn’t realize how much time he spent watching Ivan until he had told him exactly.

 

“You have been staring at me for 4 minutes and 18 seconds, Lieutenant Jones. Is there something I can assist you with?” he had said, some forced politeness. He wondered why Cyberlife had decided to give him a Russian accent? Whatever. Not the point. Alfred felt a twinge of embarrassment and instinctively looked back at his computer screen.

 

“Just spaced out. I wasn’t lookin’ at you.” He lied. For a detective when it wasn’t directly work related, he was awful at lying. Ivan knew this. He had no problem exposing him.

 

“Really?” he urged him to further elaborate.

 

“Yeah, what’s with the third-degree man?” starting to get annoyed with Ivan not dropping the subject.

 

“Touchy today. Would you like me to bring you a snack, Detective?” In his most patronizing tone, a small smile starting to tug on his mouth.

 

Alfred refused to look up from his screen.

 

“I hate you. Holy shit, you are the actual worst.”

 

All he can hear is Ivan chuckle. His cheeks still burned.

 

He remembers the fights they would have. Well, to Alfred they were fights but really it was him being angry about something and Ivan saying some snarky one liner and walking off. It was like that for the first few weeks. It wasn’t until they got assigned a major deviant case. That’s when they really needed to strap in and get serious.

 

Alfred noticed that Ivan wasn’t some kind of heartless machine people at the station had made him out to be. Alfred was relatively young, he had grown up in the era where androids were starting to become popular for public use. He never had one in his household growing up, but he’s seen and interacted with them. He found them creepy at first. No humans were ever that polite or kind but ...that’s what he liked about them. That even if their emotions were fake, they hadn’t hurt anyone and, in that regard, shouldn’t be mistreated. It was a childish way of viewing things, but he hasn’t thought about his politics about android rights ...until Ivan showed up.

 

It wasn’t until he showed up that he realized that, just like people, androids could be a pain in the ass. Ivan was an asshole (mostly when provoked) but he had a softer side to him. The way he’d interact with children or victims was intriguing. Those softened glances and hushed tones and playful smiles didn’t seem fake or part of any kind of programming.

 

While it seemed like Ivan had a good hold on his manners, Alfred tended to flare up easily. He’s easily excited, when he’s paying attention to what’s happening, he can get frustrated easily and so it made for quick fights for when they first started working together. It made talking to stubborn people difficult people hard to talk to. Particularly, his father.

 

He and his father didn’t get along. Alfred felt as if whatever he did was never enough. He felt as if his life wasn’t his own and he needed to follow the plan his family had set out for him.

 

The Chief of Police came into the station one day. Ivan noticed the expression and posture change in his partner. Alfred straightened out his back and his carefree expression turned to stone. What kind of influence did this man have? Up until now he hadn’t heard anything about his family, and Ivan didn’t bother to ask knowing that family can be touchy.

 

He would ask about his favorite foods, if he had any pets, and the music he listens to. His objective was to get to know his partner better. It wasn’t until he realized Alfred could talk more than his processors could handle that he regrets asking. Who had the kind of power to shut Alfred up?

 

He turned to see a man who had the same brilliant blue eyes as his partner, albeit a bit hardened. Scanning him he understood that this was the Chief of Police and Alfred’s father were one in the same. He had never brought the man up or has ever spoken of his connection to higher ups in the police hierarchy.

 

Ivan found it hard to believe that such a severe looking man had any sort of relation to the ball of light and excitement that was his partner. Typically, he would prefer a quiet partner that was serious and professional about their work, but he had grown fond of Alfred’s chatter and noise. He liked seeing the corners of Alfred’s mouth curve into a smile when he talked about something his cat had done or when he talked about that one time he found $20 in his couch cushions.

 

_^SOFTWARE INSTABILITY^_

 

The not-so-stubble notification popped up in his vision and Ivan forced himself to chase away the thoughts of Alfred’s laugh. The way his eyes would squeeze closed and he’d throw his head back. The notification continued to remain on screen and Ivan shook his head and went back to the filling out paperwork.

 

With Alfred gone to see what it is his father wanted. Focusing on his paperwork, he tried not to think of the chilling way his bubbly partner’s persona quickly transitioned into that of a cold professional.  

 

Things were going fine until his advanced audio processor picked up faint sounds of loud arguing coming from another room. He grew concerned but his main objective right now was the paperwork and not to intervene with whatever was going on with the Chief of Police and his son. Minutes after the muffled shouting occurred, Alfred storms into the bullpen fuming face clearly wearing an expression of agitation.

 

Ivan’s eyes followed him, as did those of his coworkers, as he left the station through the backdoor. The pull of wanting to go after him and console was strong. His objective hovered his vision.

 

‘File paperwork’ it was a small objective. Something that could easily be changed. By that logic, if he left right now to see Alf--Detective Jones, it would mean he would feel better faster and therefore their case could get back on track.

 

‘See Detective Jones’ the new objective fading into view and replacing the old one with a noise of activation. Ivan got up from his desk and followed Alfred outside towards the alley.

 

The alley is where Alfred usually went when he itched for a smoke. Despite his warnings of them shortening his lifespan, Alfred usually tells him he only smokes when he’s stressed now and is slowly, but surely, trying to wean himself off them.

 

As expected, he saw Alfred leaning against the wall, shoulders hunched with a cigarette placed between his parted lips fiddling with a cheap lighter that refused to hold a flame. He watched him struggle before pulling out the lighter that Alfred had given him a while back and gave him a light. Alfred’s blue eyes flicked up to meet Ivan’s violet ones and then back to the dull flame. Wisps of smoke emerged as a flicker of red ember burned on the butt end. Alfred took a long drag his shoulders now relaxing as the smoke fills his lungs. Ivan watches the actions and how quickly the nicotine seemed to work while he slid the light back into his pocket.

 

Usually, he’d reprimand him about his awful habits, but it seems like scolding him would only distance him further. The human murmurs a quick ‘thanks’ after he blows the smoke out away from Ivan’s direction. Ivan’s scanners indicate that Alfred is cold, his body temperature beginning to steadily drop since he had left his coat inside, but he could tell just by looking at the way Alfred hugged himself.

 

Ivan takes the light pink scarf, that Alfred had also given him, off his own neck to drape it over the other man’s shoulders. Alfred looks back over giving him a small grateful smile.

 

“You shouldn’t do that, I don’t want it to end up smell like stale ass cigarettes.” he warns as he

 

Ivan laughs lightly.

 

“To get cigarette smell out of clothes, soak your clothes for 1 hour in warm water with 1 cup of vine--”

 

Alfred throws his head back and lets out a laugh, abruptly cutting him off before he could drone on about the nuances of proper clothes cleaning.  

 

“Alright, Google, I get it. You know how to get the smell out. If you’re sure then fine.” he wraps the scarf more comfortably around him.

 

“Thanks.” he says again, a bit louder than last time. They stayed like this in silence for a while, Alfred savoring his stick of nicotine and letting it wash over him, forgetting about the argument he had earlier with his father.

 

“I know what you’re probably thinking but...I didn’t lose my cool. My dad and I are just...he just wants what’s best for and I don’t want to live my life the way he wants me to.” he breaks the silence, not looking at Ivan.

 

The android just looks over at him, listening to his words but doesn’t interrupt. Alfred, while loud, arrogant, bold, and generally just one to say what’s on his mind, he is hardly vulnerable like this with him. He’s never seen past his brash person and sees that Alfred, just like, has doubts and fears of failure.

 

Ivan’s mission is to assist the NYPD with the deviants. Up until now, a lot the cases revolving around deviants have gone officially unsolved. Unofficially, however, they’ve never been closed because of Ivan’s dangerous budding of self-awareness. These deviants are mostly acting in self-defense and Ivan...in a moment of weakness or his programming malfunctioning, whatever the cause is...he lets them go.

 

Alfred has a set path, a life objective that someone had determined for him. Yet, he does not want to complete it. Alfred wants to determine his own objectives in life.

 

_^SOFTWARE INSTABILITY^_

 

The notification pops up again. Ivan looks away from Alfred.  

 

“I’m sorry. I’m pushin’ all my feelings and shit on you...it’s probably not in your programming to get emotions.” He puts out his cigarette on the sole of his boots before prompting disposing the extinguished butt in outdoors ashtray.

 

Ivan’s LED flickers yellow.

 

“I do not understand your particular situation and I do not have ‘feelings’ the way you humans do, but I understand not wanting to disappoint the people who created me.”

 

He shouldn't have feelings. He’s a machine. He’s made of various detailed coding and wires and programming predetermined by people in a lab. He’s programmed to work and isn’t made to feel. But he does. He feels deeply. He doesn’t want to bring this to his superiors because being deactivated would interfere with his mission more than his emotions do.

 

Alfred blinks his eyes surprise. He hadn’t heard anything like this from Ivan. Smartass remarks, boring facts stripped from google, detailed listing of evidence. He hadn’t known that Ivan had these feelings besides wanting to do his job. It was nice. It was refreshing to see that despite being an android Ivan had real emotions that go past than just programming.

 

“I guess the right answer is to create our own path but that’s not always as easy as it sounds.”

 

He gives him a smile and unwraps the scarf from his own neck and steps closer to Ivan. He wraps it carefully the way he likes it wrapped and fixes it up fingering the strands on the end.

 

“But I guess it’s easier when you know you’re not alone.”

 

Ivan lets out an amused huff of air, “You are usually not this eloquent when you speak.” he lightly teases.

 

“Well, it’s your doing. I’m a mess and I’m saying corny shit.”

 

“You’re also far politer, this is the most you’ve thanked me in months.

 

“Shut up, you walking calculator, let’s get back inside I’m freezin’ my ass off.”

  
“Ah, I knew you couldn’t keep your sudden burst of eloquence up for long.” tsking with a playful undertone, though Ivan knew it indicated the Detective’s improvement in his mood and that’s all that mattered to him.

 

The blonde just flashed him a grin before heading inside. For whatever it was worth, Ivan liked him as he was.


	3. Embarrassment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alfred wants to hear some Russian from Ivan. How far is he willing to go in order to hear it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's short but sweet.   
> All Russian was acquired via the internet so it'll def be inaccurate  
> Жопа - ass  
> дерьмо - shit or oh shit

_Android!Alfred and Human!Ivan + Embarrassment_

 

+++

 

A cool draft could be felt each time the front door opened that crept into the creaky and dank hallway. This wasn’t the most luxurious building, but it was home. The inhabitants of this rundown apartment complex weren’t great, but there were a select few that he had grown to call neighbors.

 

Ivan made his way down the hall, plastic bag in hand carrying two bottles of his favorite cheap vodka and a pack of gum. The walls were paper thin, and he could hear just about everything his neighbors were doing. At some point, he learned to tune it out. He could hear faint moans coming from somewhere, but he ignored them. It wasn’t his business, though he wished they would keep it down.

 

Until, he started noticing that the closer he got to his apartment, the more prominent the sounds would become. Connecting the dots, he came to the horrible realization that those noises were coming from _his_ apartment. What the fuck? He snatched his keys from his pocket and quickly opened the door to find Alfred at his desk with _his_ laptop open blasting, what he assumed, was porn.

 

Ivan’s eyes widened, face beat red, slamming the door shut so hard he could feel the vibrations on the floor. He could not believe he was witnessing Alfred nonchalantly watching porn in the middle of the day at full volume as if it was just a regular movie.

 

The android flicked his eyes up and smiled.

 

“Hey, you’re back!”

 

“Are you insane? дерьмо Alfred turn that off!” he was trying so hard not to lose his cool.

 

“Oh? This?” turning the laptop over to give full view of what he was watching, face full of feigned innocence but didn’t reach the mischievousness in his eyes.

 

Ivan pinched the bridge of his nose in the pure agitation that was this situation. He set the bag down with more force than necessary and slammed the laptop shut. Much to his frustration the noises lingered on for a few more seconds.

 

“Alfred…can’t you watch that in your head or something? I don’t understand why you’re watching that on my personal AND work laptop!” He only had the one a, but it was a way to emphasize how important that laptop was.

 

His temper simmered down to just a gnawing annoyance. There was just something about Alfred’s face that prevented him from fully going off on him. That stupid face. With his stupid brilliant blue eyes. And his stupid grin that reminded him a lot of the sun. No. Stop it. He’s supposed to be angry.

 

“Dude, I’ve seen what you do on this thing. For work you upload pictures and send emails. As for personal time, you play Stardew Valley and check your LinkedIn. This is spicing up your history a bit.” giving him a sly smile, waggling his eyebrows while Ivan still giving him a look of irritation.

 

“Жопа.” rolling his eyes at his ridiculous reasoning and threw his arms up in defeat as he walked into his bedroom. Alfred watching closely as he walked away.

  
_‘Can’t believe that actually got him to say something in Russian.’_ a smirk of satisfaction creeping onto Alfred’s lips. Today wasn’t so unproductive after all.


	4. Domestic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ivan watches Alfred cooking in his kitchen and can't help but wonder if he's allowed to feel this happy.

**Android!Alfred and Human!Ivan + Domesticity**

  
+++  


Ivan was starting to notice something about Alfred. The man never left his office/apartment. Ever since he had agreed to take the android’s case he was always here early in the morning and stayed until late night. He was always trying to help Ivan with something. Whether it was cleaning the space, despite Ivan telling him to leave everything where it was, he didn’t mind the company after a while.

 

He found himself enjoying Alfred’s presence. He was extremely helpful with cases and knew how to talk to distraught clients. People skills weren’t Ivan’s thing. It’s not that he didn’t like people, on the contrary some of them were lovely, he just didn’t know how to interact with them. Even though Alfred was an android he made talking and empathizing with people so easy.

 

He wondered if Alfred had somewhere to go back to? Did he have people he cared about? Pets? A plant? Was there somewhere else Alfred needed to be besides here?

 

Ivan watches Alfred as he prepares something for dinner, even after he insisted that he didn’t need to. He watches as Alfred hums to himself and swings his hips to the tune; a melody Ivan can’t really pick up. He notices how comfortable he is here, as if, this is where he belonged.

 

“Alfred?” Ivan finally has the gall to ask.

 

Alfred paused in his movements and turned his head to momentarily look at Ivan.

 

“Yeah, what’s up?” bringing himself to a complete stop to look at Ivan.

 

‘Do you have somewhere you consider a home?’ he wants to ask. He wants to know if Alfred isn’t just wasting his time with some high functioning alcoholic with more daddy issues than personality traits. He wants to know even if it wasn’t any of his business.

 

Ivan’s mouth goes dry as he’s suddenly forgotten every word he knows in English and Russian. Alfred was practically the pinnacle of domesticity, his heart squeezed in his chest after coming to the realization that this is something he wanted. Alfred at his house, his _home,_ filling this once empty and barren apartment full of life. Was he allowed to feel happy? Did he deserve to have Alfred here in his home? Did he deserve to have feelings for someone who is technically a client and coworker?

 

“Hello? Earth to Ivan?” Alfred is now much closer, and his expression is pinched with concern as he waves a hand in his face to get his attention.

 

“Shit, man, are you drunk again?” he frowns in disapproval. Ivan remembers how often Alfred has scolded him on his excessive drinking. He’s not completely over it, but it’s not as bad as it used to be. He’s only had a few drinks so he wasn’t drunk per say, but Alfred might not totally agree.

 

“Nyet. No. I just forgot what I was going to say.” shaking his head.

 

Alfred pulls back the skin on his had to reveal the white plastic his body is made off. He presses the cool hand to Ivan’s forehead and Ivan finds it hard not to revel in the touch. It was a long time since he’s had any kind of intimacy like this.

 

“You’re temperature's fine so you’re not sick.” Alfred pulls his hand away as the skin materializes back onto his hand as Ivan masks his disappointment with indifference.

 

“Well, take it easy, man. These cases don’t solve themselves, but you can’t work if you’re dead. So, eat and then get some rest. I don’t really need to sleep, just three hours on stasis so I’ll pick the slack cuz you honestly look dead---” it doesn’t sound like a suggestion. Ivan hadn’t had someone care for him like this in...in a very long time. Ivan had stopped listening and instead just watches Alfred’s hands move as he spoke and his eyes roaming up to Alfred’s lip.

 

“Da, I will do that.” the response was automatic. Alfred raised an eyebrow.

 

“Whatever, weirdo.” with a small shrug and headed back to the kitchen.

 

Ivan went back to looking back at some photographs he had taken for a case. His eyes moved to see Alfred back in the kitchen. His chest tightened as he smiled.

 

He was really fucked now. He's fallen for Alfred and there's nothing he can do about it.

 


	5. Guilt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ivan knows what death is like. It really just an endless amount of darkness. He is fortunate enough to have another body at his disposal and is brought back to complete his mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is Ivan's POV on his death and I might post Alfred's POV to seeing his partner die.

_Android!Ivan and Human!Alfred + Guilt_

Ivan’s last thought was that he hoped he would remember Alfred the next time around. He watched as glossy tears shined while they leaked from his beautiful blue eyes. Those endless pools of blue reminded him of videos he had seen of the vast and lively ocean. He wishes he could have seen it. He remembered thinking how gorgeous the detective was, despite the apparent distress. It pains him to know he was causing his pain but all he could was smile as he felt his arms wrapped around him. He felt safe.

He could feel his lips moving as he said something to Alfred, but his audio processors couldn’t pick up his own words. Alfred’s eyes widen when he uttered the words and could feel the man hold him tighter. A searching desperateness that clouded his judgement as he yelled for something he couldn’t quite pick up.

Deactivation wasn’t so bad. He doesn’t regret taking the bullet for the detective. Although he failed his mission, he waited for a surge of disappointment that never came. As long as Alfred was safe that’s all that mattered. He cared for little else.

Everything went black for a moment. There was nothing. No station. No perpetrator. No blood. No Alfred. Nothing. An endless void.

Was this death? Is this what humans feared so much?

Blue words flickered in the dark. His software was still backed up and was beginning to re-upload into his system. His consciousness awoke in a radiant garden. The garden that was a manifestation of his programming within his mind materializing before him. There were roses and willow trees along the immaculate white path that was laid out in front of him hovering over calm water.

He despised roses. He hated the color, the thorns, the smell. You’d reach out to touch them with care and find yourself hurt by their spikes. Ivan would much rather be in a vast field of sunflowers.

Sunflowers were tall their leaves stretched wide as if they were inviting you to share their warmth. Their bright sunny tint reminded him of the vibrance of life and how something so massive still needed to be handled delicately. If you pulled on their petals too hard you were sure to rip them off. They were strong yet gentle and allowed you to sit in their shade.

He walks along his set path knowing full well he needs to explain to his handler as to why he failed his mission. Amanda knows everything he does. What she doesn’t know is how he feels and his thought process on what lead up to his actions. She made him nervous and he didn’t know why. She was supposed to be his mentor yet why did he feel like he was being groomed?

“Ivan. What a surprise. Your mission was going so smoothly, and your last body’s existence was cut too short. Tell me, what caused this failure?” her voice calm and collected as she didn’t even care enough to spare him glance.

Ivan’s thoughts ran wild for an acceptable answer. His handler would wipe the emotional progress he had made with his peers from his software. He wouldn’t forget Alfred, but the feelings he holds on to so tightly for the detective wouldn’t be the same. He didn’t want to forget what feeling felt like.

“Saving the detective was a necessary step that needed to be taken. Had he been killed my investigation would be severely hindered.”

Ivan could not let slip that it was his own personal feelings that pushed him into to taking the shot for Alfred. He could not let his handler know that Alfred was technically a liability. A weakness.

But Alfred didn’t feel like a weakness. Alfred held him up through his doubts. Alfred allowed him to become strong and sort out how he felt and who he wanted to be. Alfred was smart, kind, charismatic. He made him laugh, shout in joy and rage, he created this new whirlwind of emotions he’s never felt before. He made him want to be better. Alfred made him feel human.

It seems like his handler caught a glimpse of his thoughts by the expression starting to seep on his face, a cunning smile curling onto her red painted lips.

“How is your relationship with the detective? What I’ve seen from the footage, you two have been spending an exceeding amount of time together.” finally turning her body to half face Ivan. Eyes shifting over from the rose she had just clipped to his stiffened form.

The choices scrambled in Ivan’s head once again. What should he say? Was honesty the best choice? Or was it better to be cold? Professional? Emotional? His handler should know this to give him the best outcome, but he wasn’t certain he could trust her. He didn’t want to fail her. Not again.

“I seemed to have gained his trust with what I have been learning.”

There a brief moment of silence as she looked over the rose in her hand and then gazed over in his direction. His handler seemed satisfied with this answer.

“Good. Keeping his trust could be beneficial to Cyberlife in the future. He is on track to becoming the Chief of Police. Having his support would be in Cyberlife’s best interest.”

Ivan simply nodded holding his hands behind his back, spine straight as to show no hint of anything he was feeling.

“Your memories have been transferred into another body. All software instabilities have been patched and you should be functioning to full capacity. Better than before.” his handler smiled at him as she slivered the thorns off with a knife, the spikes dropping to the floor, but Ivan never saw them hit the ground.

His software instabilities were fine? What did that mean? Were his feelings intact? He doesn’t know and his handler noticed the impending panic starting to occur onto his face.

“Don’t worry, this won’t disrupt your mission.” she assured.

“Of course, thank you for the reassurance.”

The handler hummed and gave him another smile, one that didn’t reach her eyes. She set the rose down and slipped the knife in her pocket.

“You should get going. Your body is finally upgraded, and you need to make up for the time you lost.”

Ivan nodded.

“I will not fail again.”

He left the garden as his eyes began to blink open finding himself in a Cyberlife lab. The sterile white lab never feeling like his home. A lab assistant asks him questions to see if he is fully functional.

“What is your model number?”

“RK800 #313 248 317 - 52.” his voice unnerved and monotonous.

The lab worker nodded as they jotted down notes, making sure Ivan’s updates and patches were working as they should. His memories are intact. Everything was flooding into his memory storage unit at once. His first day. Meeting Alfred. Alfred’s looks of annoyance. His stupid jokes. His blonde hair that reminded him so much of the sunflowers he enjoyed so fondly. Alfred’s eyes shining at something Ivan’ had said. His smile when he would see him in the morning with a chipper ‘Mornin’!’

A warm hand on his face, the thumb brushing back and forth on his cheek.

Those were all memories he didn’t need. Nothing that was useful to the mission. But he also couldn’t bring himself to delete them. Something was stopping him. Must be some underlying reason for keeping them so he ignored it.

Ivan needed to leave. He needed to get back to his mission, he would need to continue working with the Detective. Once his check-up was complete, he left with his new body and took a taxi to the police department.

It was early, 5:13 in the morning. The detective’s shift doesn’t start until 6:30 unless something major happens. He strolled into the station as if nothing happened. As if he hadn’t died in public the day before. He had pairs of eyes glued onto him. The captain gave him a look but said nothing of it. Ivan was a unique model, he figured that maybe they would send a new model, or they wouldn’t, he didn’t give it much thought. Machines could be replaced. Everything was back to normal.

He waited at his desk sorting some paperwork he had missed.

Alfred had made an appearance at 6. Dark circles sunken in deep around his eyes. He scanned him from afar. He hadn’t slept, hadn’t eaten, could see the stubble beginning to emerge on his chin giving him the illusion of appearing older than he was. There was a dullness in his red rimmed eyes the light he had seen in his memories no longer clinging to them.

He must be hungover, Ivan determined. He doesn’t recall the detective ever being a fan of alcohol.

Waiting at the desk until Alfred got closer, he watched him do a double take. His eyes widened, his stance frozen in place as he looked at Ivan in disbelief. He blinked and marched over wading through the sea of people in the station. Ivan stood up with a cup of coffee he had made for the detective.

“Good Morning, Detective Jones.” his tone was polite and professional holding out the steaming coffee mug.

Alfred looked at him in confusion entangled in grief and remorse. He stared at Ivan, looking him up and down moving to reach out and touch him but stopped himself, bringing his hands back to his side.

“That’s all you have to say?” his voice cracks, low and raspy. Ivan could smell the stale cigarette smoke that clung to his clothes.

“Ah. Would you like an update? It is 45 degrees Fahrenheit outside with a chance of showers later---”

“No! Ivan! I saw you die! You died in my fuckin’ arms yesterday! And you come here all alive and shit actin’ like nothing happened!” his face pinched in rage and distraught, fists clenched to his side.

“Detective, you are causing a scene, can I recommend talking about this elsewhere?” Ivan chimed in, his tone not wavering.

Alfred was taken aback by Ivan’s lack of emotion. It was like when he first got here. He took a step back. This wasn’t the Ivan he knew. This wasn’t the Ivan that looked at him with all the fondness in his eyes and told him with him so with his dying breath.

‘You’re my mission. Protecting you was always my objective, Alfred.’

Those words haunted him all night long and here he was. Someone else wearing Ivan’s face. Those violet eyes that were always full of curiosity about the world were now dimmed to cold calculation.

“Fuck. You.” Alfred cursed, before he could continue his vent, his phone rang. The rage didn’t leave his eyes as he tried to answer the phone call with composure.

Ivan simply watched him, Alfred’s eyes now averting his gaze refusing to look at him.

“Yeah. Yeah, we’r- I’m on my way.” the call ended as he slipped his phone back into his pocket.

“There’s been another murder.” he told Ivan. “You’re not coming.” his voice holding an alarming calmness. It wasn’t in Ivan’s code to argue with an order.

He simply nodded and didn’t say anything more and Alfred left their conversation as if he was looking for any excuse to escape.

Ivan flipped through his memories with Alfred, this was unusual behavior for the man. He wonders what could have possibly happened?


End file.
